Skip Bayless became a trending topic on Tuesday after ESPN announced that he would be leaving the company in August.
With the day after the 2016 NBA Finals slated as Bayless' final appearance on ESPN2's First Take, he will leave the Worldwide Leader in Sports with a plethora of memorable moments.
Already, there are rumored reports that he'll be heading to Fox Sports.
Throughout his 12 years with the network, Bayless took many contrarian stances in arguing sports with First Take colleague and the equally opinionated Stephen A. Smith, seemingly embracing the role of the villain and even being berated by the likes of Richard Sherman, Jalen Rose and Terrell Owens live on the air.
Here, we look back on some of Skip's most notoriously crazy First Take debates.
Tim Tebow Is A Bigger Box-Office Attraction Than Kobe Bryant
Bayless couldn't be serious saying Tim Tebow is a bigger box-office attraction than Kobe Bryant ... except he really wasn't joking. He really made that absolutely absurd argument a few years back, prompting Smith to walk off the First Take set in a fuming state of disgust. For extra measure - and to drive the conviction of his lunacy home - Bayless added that he also thinks Tebow is the bigger draw than LeBron James. Wow. Bayless is truly one of a kind.
Aaron Rodgers Should Donate $8.5 Million To Charity
Back in February 2012, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers tweeted that he'd bet his season salary on the innocence of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun over alleged performance-enhancing drug use. Well, when Braun was suspended by Major League Baseball for 65 games of the 2013 season for PED use, Bayless actually wanted Rodgers to live up to his tweet and pony up $8.5 million to charity.
The mere mention made Smith cringe, as he yelled, "Are you on drugs?" He even picked up a mug of water, saying he wished it was filled with water, so he could douse Bayless with it. Only Bayless would hold an athlete to a tweet, actually expecting him to cough up $8.5 million. Come on, man.
Swears Manny Pacquiao Defeated Floyd Mayweather Jr.
So, even though the "Fight of the Century" on May 2, 2015 fizzled, it was clear - to any boxing fans who could see - that Floyd Mayweather Jr. thoroughly outclassed and outpointed Manny Pacquiao en route to a unanimous victory. Well, it wasn't clear to Bayless. Sour from losing a bet with Smith and having to wear Mayweather's The Money Team (TMT) and The Best Ever (TBE) gear, Bayless flew into a rage, stripping off the hat and T-shirt and throwing it across the First Take set, all while swearing Pacquiao won the fight. The meltdown was classic, but the argument was utterly ridiculous.
Calls Kobe Bryant Overpaid
Seeing how Kobe Bryant was the highest-paid player in the NBA for the 2012-13 season, having earned $27.8 million, Bayless went ahead and called the five-time NBA champion overpaid, saying he's "$27 million worth of nothing." Then 34 years old, the Black Mamba wound up averaging 27.3 points per game that season as the third-leading scorer in the league in 2012. Now, that doesn't sound like it's "$27 million worth of nothing," does it? Try telling Bayless that, though.
Skip Bayless Calls Kobe Bryant Fat
Leave it to Bayless to take a joke and run with it as the truth. Working his way back from a ruptured Achilles tendon, which he suffered toward the tail end of the 2012-13 NBA season, Bryant jokingly told reporters, "I gotta get my fat a-- in shape," entering the 2013-14 campaign. Bayless took the joke at face value, really stating that he thinks Bryant is fat and that his face looks chubby.
"I don't think he was kidding, Stephen A. ... his face was a little fat," Bayless remarked. He proceeded to cast doubt on Bryant's dedication.
Smith's response? "You're pathetic. You really are. Sometimes you just go too low."
We're going to miss their heated exchanges.
